The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-08-25
Common Sense Cure.

Common Sense Cure.
I Cousin Mary had been IN invalid for
several years, and all the female rela-
shook their heads despondingly
this subject was mentioned.
There was very little hope she
would eve be any better, they said
dolorously. "She had had all the
doctors far and near, and none Of them
did her any good. Poor woman! she
probably couldn't hold out much
longer" n
I had heard the same story over and
over, but, having had some experince
in chronic disease, / was not disposed
to blieve the case as hopeless as it wa
represented.
I knew that at the first there had
been a severe everlasting Of strength
in the care. of a dearly loved brother,
who had died after long illness, and
Mary had been very sick of a fever after
his death. Long months of nervous
prostration followed the fever, then.
intervals Of convalescence and relapses
had succeeded each other until, at last
she had become a confirmed invalid,
a patient, resigned member Of the
''Shut-in Society,""
As for myself, I was never a good
subject for the last. I had told my
pastor once, when he called upon me
during a prolonged, apparently hope
less illness, that I did not believe in
resignation to sickness; and in answer
to his shocked expression, added, ..res-
ignation to ANYTHING that can be helped
is simply laziness; and instead of join
ing the 'shut-in Society,'I belong to
the Get Up and Get Out Society,""
Possibly that had something to DO
with the fact that I recovered after the
had declared my case hope.
less.
With this experience fresh in my
memory, I decided to visit my suffering
relative. and see if there was not some
possibility of help for her.
"I'm afraid you can't see Martha
tonight" Aunt Mary said soon after
my arrival, she is so nervous no one
has been in the room for the last month
except doctor and /. She can't bear a.
bit Of light or the least noise, her head
is SO bad" And poor, patient Aunt
Martha heaved a deep sigh; the invalid
daughter was very dear to her, and she
was nearly exhausted by care and anx-
iety on her account.
Then do not tell her / am here" I
said. Il know just how she feels, and
I am going to take the responsibility OF.
walking in without asking consents"
Aunt Martha demurred, but. as is
usually the case. my strong will over
came her weak one, and / opened soft
ly the door. of the sick room and en-
tered unannounced. %<s
The blinds were closed, and thick
curtains were owe the windows. In
tho dim light / could at first lei only
the outlines of q white-draped bed in.
the center of the room. As ] drew
nearer and my eyes became more ac-
fcustomed to the darkness. / saw q
pale, thin face upon the pillow, and q
pair of dark eyes, unusually large and
bright, were looking at me in surprise
and bewilderment.
Il am Cousin Jennie" / said by way
of Introduction, as / saw she did not
recognise me. II have ZONE from New
York on purpose to see YOU
She answered me in a voice scarcely
above a whisper, letting the wasted,
nerveless hand I had taken fall YEARLY
back upon the coverlid. She looked SO
fral and delicate my heart. was filled
with the deepest pity tor her, WHILE
felt indignant at the ignorance that
could shut up q sick person in such a
close, dark room. e II
I made q few kind inquiries regard
ing her condition; it was the old story
Of chronic diseases-almost constant
pain in back or sides, tortnring. ner-
vous headaches, sleeplessness and loss
OF appetite. Ss
"You have been very Sick she said
in the low. languid tone she seemed
Ito use ~habitually, ..and they tell me
your recovery was almost q miracle.
Was it fAith curep"'
mo, at least not what is CALLED so
BY its advocates. The popular idea OF
faith cure, as ] understand II. seems to
me little better than an insult to the
Almighty"
'eOh, Cousin Jennie!'' with an accent
.of horror, AZ If T had committed the nm
pardonable sin. She was greatly
shocked, just as I intended she should
be; ii was useless thinking Of cure for
her while she remained In that half.
dead condition. both physically and
mentally. "A shock Of some kind was
necessary to rouse her, and, as I dared
not dash a pail Of cold water over her.
or rush ia suddenly shouting .thc
house is on fret" I thought a mental
shaking up might serve the same pnr-
pose in 8 lesser degree. It seemed To-
have thatseffect and her flushed cheeks
and full, clear tone showed that the;
blood had started into healthy Action
She laid her hand on mine deprecat-
inglH, and her sofroWfM expression
half made me repent al experiment.
And i thought you were q Chris
tian, she said il y shocked, grieved
tone.
80 ! AZ. I trust ! answered;